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Jingjian

Chinese Buddhist nun

Nun
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About Jingjian

Jingjian was a nun.

Zhu Jingjian (; 292–361) was a Chinese Buddhist nun, referred to as the first nun in China.

After having been widowed, she was active as a teacher in Luoyang. She became interested in Buddhism, and was instructed in the subject by the monk Fashi. In this time there were monks, but no nuns, in China. However, she, and a couple of other women after her, became learned in Buddhism and started to live as de facto nuns. In 357, she made her vows and from that year onward, she was referred to as a nun and as such a pioneer. She has been called the first Buddhist nun in China. However, as she and the nuns that followed during the 4th century was never formally ordained in accordance to the vinaya ritual, they were formally known as novices rather than fully ordained nuns, and it was not until Huiguo in the following century that nuns in China was formally recognized as such.

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Important facts

Occupation
Nun

Frequently asked questions

Who was Jingjian?

Chinese Buddhist nun (292–361)

What was Jingjian's occupation?

Jingjian was a nun.

Sources & further reading

Β· Wikipedia: Jingjian

Β· Wikidata: Q91791368

Β· DBpedia: Jingjian

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jingjian. https://biography.guide/jingjian/

MLA: "Jingjian." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jingjian/.

Chicago: "Jingjian." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jingjian/.

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